icastle Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='skej21' post='1234743' date='May 17 2011, 07:23 PM']What's a Fender? [/quote] American thing. Stops dense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='skej21' post='1234743' date='May 17 2011, 07:23 PM']What's a Fender? [/quote] Something people regularly complain about despite being a blueprint to everything we enjoy about our instrument Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1234729' date='May 17 2011, 07:06 PM']Room for a little one you two?[/quote] Cripes this sofa's getting full Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumbo Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Don't feed the troll! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I had the priviledge of meeting Leo Fender in 1979. So here's the (rather modest) view from the man himself....... Simply because the Fender was the first mass-produced bass guitar to 'catch on', it became the sound that folks assumed the electric bass should be. In other words, he thought that if Rickenbacker, Gibson (insert any other make) had beaten him to it [i]they[/i] would probably have claimed the prominent position and others would, as likely as not, always be playing catch-up. OK, troll on...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='chipmunk_jr' post='1234504' date='May 17 2011, 04:20 PM']Every band you seem to see live, there bass players seem to play fenders. I've played a couple and I cant see what all the fuss is about???? I've played much nicer basses for a lot less money.[/quote] Every band you se live (Exaggeration) seem to play Fenders (Because they are the industry standard and arguably the most reliable combination of wood and electronics in the world) and the fuss is about the quality of sound, something for everyone, you could live with only having a Jazz and a Precision and nothing else... they will most likely outlive you. True there are some Fenders that are poorly crafted, but considering they've manufactured millions its fair to say there will be some bad ones, Im not particularly a fan of MIM standards, but have played some absolutely amazing ones... more than i have bad ones. roughly the ratio i've worked out is about 10:1 (ten being the chance of getting a decent one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='1234796' date='May 17 2011, 08:01 PM']I had the priviledge of meeting Leo Fender in 1979. So here's the (rather modest) view from the man himself....... Simply because the Fender was the first mass-produced bass guitar to 'catch on', it became the sound that folks assumed the electric bass should be. In other words, he thought that if Rickenbacker, Gibson (insert any other make) had beaten him to it [i]they[/i] would probably have claimed the prominent position and others would, as likely as not, always be playing catch-up. OK, troll on...... [/quote] Very modest indeed, I agree 100% with this statement... and yes i believe that Fender Basses are the "sound to have" a lot of this is because of the amazing sounds that so many bassists have managed to achieve from them over the years... Just look at Motown, Funk, Jazz, Reggae etc... so much of it has an iconic sound that can be reproduced on a Fender instrument, Affordable even today £400 - 500 (personally believe is to much) but thats not the point, in todays standards that is affordable and plenty of young people can afford one can afford to get one for a birthday gift or save up from your paper round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='bigthumb' post='1234656' date='May 17 2011, 06:09 PM']Out of all the basses I've owned, gigged and parted with its the precisions I miss the most. I love my Warwicks but there will always be room for a P-bass. Its nothing to do with image, I'm too old and smelly to be bothered about all that stuff. But the Precision just has that tone that on occasions has made me turn around and smile at my cabs with that noise coming out of them.[/quote] I love the sound of a P, but can't get on with the fat neck, I used to borrow my bandmate's dad's special edition MIA and it was just the fattest of necks, can get on far better with warwicks, even the 5er neck on a warwick I find preferable, anyone else find this an issue? Obviously if you're playing very simple lines with root notes, it's not such an issue, but as soon as I got into anything fiddly, I always found it difficult on a P. Having said that, I do quite like fenders, and think I'll get myself a Marcus Miller sig or one of the nice FMT 24 fret jazz's one day. One thing, could someone please explain to me the general perception/concensus of the MIA/MIM/MIJ differences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Tried and tested. Seem to do the business on countless recordings & live performances. Simple controls. Easy to fix and maintain. Solid and robust. Neck can be replaced when worn out/broken/faulty - part of the original design criteria. Headstock does not snap off when dropped (in my experience). USA basses will not lose value in the long term. Anything more needed? the only excess is having a volume and tone control, I have always run them at full on. If the price is too rich look at the countless copies, some are crap/very good/exceed the original for less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='1234796' date='May 17 2011, 08:01 PM']I had the priviledge of meeting Leo Fender in 1979. So here's the (rather modest) view from the man himself....... Simply because the Fender was the first mass-produced bass guitar to 'catch on', it became the sound that folks assumed the electric bass should be. In other words, he thought that if Rickenbacker, Gibson (insert any other make) had beaten him to it [i]they[/i] would probably have claimed the prominent position and others would, as likely as not, always be playing catch-up.[/quote] Most sensible post so far... Fender basses have got to the position that they are in now by being marginally less crap and better marketed than the competition during the influential years of "rock music" from the 50s to the 70s. These days it's all about conformity, inertia and nostalgia. The basses that Fender sells most of nowadays have changed little since the early 60s and have seemingly ignored the advances made in design and construction for electric stringed instruments since the mid 70s. Of course there's nothing wrong with that. There are plenty of other areas where history and nostalgia sell rather than innovation and practicality - basses and electric guitars aren't the only ones. However I can't help feeling that a lot of the musicians who embraced the new technology in the 50s and 60s ought to feel disappointed that the current generation of musicians they have influenced are simply copying their instrument choices, and not as they did, rejecting what came before and looking for the new and innovative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 They were good enough for that guy from Weather Report,and they were good enough for the guy from Status Quo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 They're just easy !!!! Now move over on the sofa and I'll let you share my popcorn and Irn-Bru. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1234873' date='May 17 2011, 08:54 PM']They were good enough for that guy from Weather Report,and they were good enough for the guy from Status Quo.[/quote] The current guy from Status Quo plays a Status... And from what I can see these days Alan Lancaster appears to favour a Travis Bean bass... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Ive got crisps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 We're gonna need a bigger sofa... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1234837' date='May 17 2011, 08:27 PM']I love the sound of a P, but can't get on with the fat neck, I used to borrow my bandmate's dad's special edition MIA and it was just the fattest of necks, can get on far better with warwicks, even the 5er neck on a warwick I find preferable, anyone else find this an issue? Obviously if you're playing very simple lines with root notes, it's not such an issue, but as soon as I got into anything fiddly, I always found it difficult on a P. Having said that, I do quite like fenders, and think I'll get myself a Marcus Miller sig or one of the nice FMT 24 fret jazz's one day. One thing, could someone please explain to me the general perception/concensus of the MIA/MIM/MIJ differences?[/quote] With good left hand technique you should be able to swap between widths and scale lengths etc, You just aren't used to a fat neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Who's touching my knee? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1234894' date='May 17 2011, 09:12 PM']And from what I can see these days Alan Lancaster appears to favour a Travis Bean bass...[/quote] And look where he is now,eh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1234903' date='May 17 2011, 09:15 PM']And look where he is now,eh. :)[/quote] Australia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 And they are the ONLY ones that look good when they get tatty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1234908' date='May 17 2011, 09:18 PM']They are the Ronseal of the bass world .[/quote] I like my Fender but that Ronseal stuff ain't so good. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Has anyone thought about bringing some beer ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 KIORA ! Please,nobody mention overpriced boutique Fender copies................Aww sh!t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1234898' date='May 17 2011, 09:13 PM']With good left hand technique you should be able to swap between widths and scale lengths etc, You just aren't used to a fat neck.[/quote] True, my Dean which was my main bass before my warwick has the thinnest of necks I've ever played, you can glide up and down it as if it isn't there! And as for the MIJ/MIM/MIA differences? Any thoughts from anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I thought I would leave the difference between versions to someone else, Oh no now someone has took my seat! Can I have the poof? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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